PRINCE HARRY LANDS BACK IN BRITAIN
Ex-PM John Major hopes Duke’s death will bring brothers together
PRINCE Harry jetted back into Britain yesterday ahead of his grandfather’s funeral.
It is the first time in a year that he has been in the UK, arriving on a British Airways flight from Los Angeles into Heathrow at 1.15pm.
Harry, 36, wearing chinos, jacket and a face mask, was driven away in a black Range Rover after being met by security.
Police were in place awaiting his arrival. He was driven to his former Kensington Palace home of Nottingham Cottage, where he lived with the Duchess of Sussex ahead of their wedding.
The Prince had been in his home in Montecito, California, when he was told of Prince Philip’s death on Friday morning.
Doctors have advised pregnant Meghan, 39, not to travel.
It comes as Sir John Major revealed his hopes the rift between Prince Harry and the Royal Family will be healed as they unite in grief.
Former prime minister Sir John was appointed a special guardian to William and Harry following the death of their mother Diana, Princess of Wales, in 1997.
The return of the Duke of Sussex for the funeral on Saturday has fuelled hopes that any tensions with his brother will be resolved.
Harry laid bare the conflict with members of his family during a bombshell interview in the US with OprahWinfrey last month.
Among the revelations, he described a fractured relationship with his father Charles and being somewhat estranged fromWilliam.
Sir John said: “The friction that we are told has arisen is a friction better ended as speedily as possible, and a shared emotion – a shared grief – at the present time because of the death of their father, their grandfather, I think is an ideal opportunity,” he said.
“I hope very much that it is possible to mend any rifts that may exist.”
Sir John’s role involved looking after legal and administrative matters for the brothers.
He said Philip was “deeply concerned” to make sure they were getting proper care in the wake of Diana’s death in 1997.
Sir John, who attended Harry and Meghan’s wedding, also spoke of his personal relationship with the Duke of Edinburgh during his time in Number 10.
He said they were both keen cricket fans and occasionally watched matches together.
When he succeeded Margaret Thatcher, the Duke said to him: “I see your party are electing outsiders now”, in relation to his humble beginnings. Sir John added: “He knew what it was like to be an outsider and he often came up with very cryptic remarks like that.”
The ex-PM said Philip was one of the few people to whom the Queen could “unburden herself” in her “very lonely” job as head of state.
He said: “At times of difficulty, he was the person who was there, he was the person to whom she could unburden herself.
“And when you’re facing a sea of
problems, as she so often was, and sometimes when you’re overwhelmed by what has to be done, someone who understands that, someone that can take part of the burden, someone who can share the decision-making, someone who can put their arms around you.
“I think when you talk of him being a great support, that was it.”
He said the Queen is a “stoic” public servant who will return to her duties.